❂ Apple Watches and More

~ Ben Messick

My thoughts on today’s Apple Event.

Apple TV

  • It’s encouraging that HBO doesn’t think they need cable providers anymore. This is the future. Fortunately for HBO, they don’t have to deal with those pesky blackout issues.
  • Why didn’t they upgrade the hardware instead of lowering the price? Will a $30 savings result in that many more new customers?

iPhones

  • I love Apple Pay and often choose a store based on whether they accept it. It works every time without a problem. Square needs to make it available to the small guys that I love to support.
  • I hope CarPlay gets a lot more love from developers. I thought seriously about buying a CarPlay radio when I replaced the radio in my new car. It just seemed like a lot of money to spend on a product that wasn’t quite ready for prime time (according to most reviews).
  • Medical Research. Wow. Open Source. Wow.

New 12″ MacBook

  • So thin! This seems like the perfect mobile platform. I’m just not sure that I would like it to be my only computer.
  • Looking forward to trying the new keyboard.
  • Pleased that Apple continue’s to make the trackpad more useful. Very nice. I hope this technology comes to their Magic Trackpad soon.
  • I can’t hear the fan on my MacBook Pro. I hope the decision to get rid of it doesn’t effect reliability.
  • I’m surprised they didn’t include a cell phone radio in it. Seems like that’s the future.
  • Is Thunderbolt dead?
  • If I bought a new computer today? Definitely a new MacBook Pro 13″ with the upgraded specs.

Watch

  • A lot of money for something that gets me little new functionality… and of course, I would need two so I can send my heartbeat to my wife…
  • I would be so afraid I would break it while I’m at work. I need to wear $30 watches.
  • Best selling point for me? Being able to answer my phone anywhere in the house without keeping my phone near me.

Effective Social Media Strategy

~ Ben Messick

William Arruda in Forbes:

The Three Elements of an Effective Social Media Strategy:

    1. Be Real
    2. Be Focused
    3. Be Consistant

Mr. Arruda believes social media is important to a personal brand for an executive. “Social media can be your best opportunity for enhancing relationships and expanding your brand.” What about the rest of us? Does social media actually make relationships better? Or just waste time and make me think it is useful?

The 20 Toy Rule

~ Ben Messick

Sarah Mae via Becoming Minimalist:

20 toys sounds like a lot… or maybe it doesn’t. But you’d be surprised at how many things children can accumulate. I was shocked when we began moving towards 20 toys each. We don’t spoil our children and I already had been pretty strict about the toy situation. But when I sat with my son in his room that day, I had to face the fact that we had allowed in too much stuff.

I feel like that we are in exactly the same place. Christmas, birthdays, hand-me-downs, it’s all so much. Maybe the kids don’t feel as overwhelmed as I do when I walk into their rooms, but maybe they do. Maybe 20 toys is a good place to start…

❂ Fort Wayne Food Favorites

~ Ben Messick

I was looking over the “Top 25” restaurants in Fort Wayne on TripAdvisor and was embarrassed at how many I have never tried. I really like trying new restaurants. In fact, one year, my wife and I ate at a different restaurant every week for a year1. That was before kids though. These days, we only go out once or twice a month and it seems to be the same old favorites. I would like to share ten of the my favorites in the Fort:

What’s your favorite?

  1. Mostly thanks to the Entertainment Book. You know, back when it was still a good deal. ↩︎

How Writing Has Changed Me

~ Ben Messick

Joshua Becker:

Writing has provided opportunity to refine opinions. Dawson Trotman once said, “Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through the lips and the fingertips.” He was right. Writing has required me to both understand and articulate my opinions. It has forced me to research my assumptions, defend them, and change when necessary.

Joshua Becker and his blog becomingminimalist have provided me a lot of inspiration in the last couple of months. I look forward to his new book coming out later this year.

❂ New Phone? New Pants!

~ Ben Messick

Unlike most, I decided to go with the iPhone 6+. Yes, the big one. Yes, I really do put it up to my face and talk on it. Yes, my friends make fun of me. But I love it. Mostly.

I choose the large model because I wanted to stop carrying around my iPhone and my iPad Mini. I want only one device with me and I was hoping that this would be a good compromise. I use my iPad mostly for watching movies and reading books– consumption. Ironically though, I am writing this post on the iPad 1. And so far, the phone has worked well as my main consumption device.2

But there is a problem. A big problem. The phone is too big to fit in my jean’s pocket. My iPhone 5S spent many hours comfortably nestled in that front right pocket. I will not get a belt holster. I did try the man purse route, but it was just too much trouble. I want as little to carry as possible. (I even got rid of my wallet in favor of a iPhone card case)

I have read that many successful people only wear one outfit. I currently only wear one outfit3 to work, but my out-of-work attire varies from khaki’s to sweats. The iPhone conundrum provided a convenient excuse to work toward that goal.

My answer so far is the TacLite Pro Pants by 5.11. Large Pocket for my phone. Room for my pocket holster. Plenty of space for everything4, very comfortable, and I do think they look nicer then blue jeans.

The downside is that my wife says that it look too “militaristic.” Nothing is perfect. I think I might try the Covert Cargo Pants when these wear out though.

A new phone deserves new pants.

  1. Hanx Writer + Logitech Keyboard. ↩︎
  2. Until I got a Kindle textbook that will not display on the iPhone (Incompatible Device). My most expensive Kindle book (By FAR!) and I can’t read it on the device I want. ↩︎
  3. A required uniform makes things simple. ↩︎
  4. My current EDC includes my iPhone 6+, a Glock 26 plus an extra magazine, a pocket notebook, two black pens, a knife and my keys. All these fit comfortably in these pants. ↩︎